One of the most popular salads in America, Cobb salad, has taken the world by storm. If you still haven’t got to try the original Cobb salad, you might feel a bit skeptical about its popularity; after all, how can a salad be so satiating? Well, with the number of nutritious ingredients, Cobb salad can easily be the main course meal and it continues to be a nation’s favorite even almost 9 decades after it was originally created.
What’s a Cobb Salad?
Just like in any other salad, the original Cobb salad also features the likes of veggies such as salad greens and tomatoes (and many others, too), but there’s also a reason why this is one of the most popular salads in America; aside from the veggies, it also contains chicken, which can be roasted, boiled, or grilled, crisp bacon, boiled eggs, Roquefort cheese, and avocados. A mix like this one is a true delight for the palate and growling tummy.
It’s possible to replace bacon with pancetta, or use Stilton cheese if the Roquefort one isn’t readily available. But these variations don’t make it any less delicious and filling.
The History of the Cobb Salad
Every nation-popular dish has a story to tell. That said, the story of Cobb salad begins in 1937 when the owner of The Brown Derby restaurant, Bob Cobb, wanted to make a snack for himself. He got whatever he found in the fridge at the time, namely some tomatoes, lettuce, avocado, watercress, romaine, boiled eggs, chives, chicken breast, cheese, and French dressing. As he chopped and mixed the ingredients, he decided to top everything off with some crisp bacon, and voila – the original Cobb salad came into existence.
Not only was the Cobb salad an overnight sensation at the time that it found its respective place on the menu almost immediately, but it remains loved to this day, with licensed restaurant names for merchandise such as bottled Cobb dressing.
Making Your Own Cobb Salad
We already mentioned that some variations to the original recipe are perfectly acceptable. That said, blue cheese tends to be a staple ingredient for this salad, and if it’s difficult to get your hands on Roquefort cheese, any blue cheese would do. On the other hand, those who really dislike blue cheese can make do with some crumbled feta. It’s also possible to save time and trouble by getting a store-bought rotisserie chicken so that the only things left to cook are eggs and bacon.
The Matter of Cobb Dressing
As stated before, the so-called French dressing was originally used for Cobb salad. These days, we would refer to vinaigrette as the classic choice when it comes to Cobb dressing. However, it’s also possible to play with different dressing choices in this case, such as using an Avocado or Jalapeno ranch instead.
Is It Possible to Pre-Make Cobb Salad?
In general, Cobb salad cannot be made too far ahead. The most acceptable solution, in this case, is to prepare both the salad and the dressing two to three hours before mealtime. Don’t mix the two until it’s time to serve though! Keep both of them in a fridge covered with plastic wrap.
It’s possible to manage different Cobb salad ingredients separately, where some can be kept in the fridge for a while longer:
- Dressing can be made in a mason jar and kept in a fridge. Then we can simply shake the jar and serve the dressing straight from it.
- It’s simple enough to rinse and dry the lettuce and then refrigerate it until it’s ready to use.
- Unlike lettuce, avocado should be sliced and left in a fridge relatively before the serving time as it discolors easily.
- When it comes to chicken breast, be it the store-bought rotisserie or one we cook ourselves, it’s perfectly fine to chill it in the fridge for a while.
- Bacon can also be roasted and chilled until it’s ready to be used.
- Hard-boiled eggs can be kept in the fridge for a couple of days before use.
It’s simple enough to mix all the ingredients together once it’s time to serve dinner.
How to Make Cobb Salad
As this is one of the most popular salads in America, there’s a high chance many people have already made it. But, for those interested in this simple yet delicious meal and Cobb salad dressing recipe, as well as what to serve with Cobb salad, don’t hesitate to test our instructions for yourself.
The following Cobb salad and Cobb salad dressing recipe ingredients are enough for four people with a serving of about 700 calories.
Cobb salad recipe ingredients:
- 6 slices of crisp and chopped bacon
- 5 cups of chopped romaine lettuce
- 2 cooked chicken breasts
- 2 hard-boiled eggs
- 1 sliced avocado
- 1 cup of halved cherry tomatoes
- Half a cup of sliced red onion
- Half a cup of crumbled cheese (the one you decided to use)
- 2 tbsp of chopped parsley
Cobb salad dressing recipe ingredients:
- 3 tbsp of balsamic vinegar
- 1 tbsp of dijon mustard
- 1 minced garlic clove
- 1/3 cup of extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 tsp of salt
- 1/8 tsp of black pepper
Now that we have our ingredients, the instructions to turn everything into tasty Cobb salad and dressing are fairly easy. Chop up the bacon slices and sautee them until they turn crisp and brown. This shouldn’t take more than five minutes. Proceed to cook two eggs and then slice them in quarters.
Wash the lettuce and chop it up. Arrange it on a plate in a circle. Then proceed to arrange the rest of the salad ingredients, namely, chicken, eggs, tomatoes, onion, avocado, cheese, and bacon. Do this in rows and finish off by sprinkling some parsley on top.
The actual Cobb salad is done. All that’s left is to combine all of the ingredients for the dressing into a mason jar and then shake it vigorously to mix everything really well. Drizzle over the salad just before it’s time to serve and enjoy.
What to Serve with Cobb Salad?
As it’s already so filling and satiating, there’s no need to serve anything else when the Cobb salad is the main course dish. However, it’s always possible to spice things up with some appetizers and desserts. In that respect, if you’re looking for what to serve with Cobb salad for added nutrition and experience, think Caprese. Caprese on avocado toast, baked into a quiche, or stuffed in a grilled cheese sandwich is always great. Toasted bread with olive oil and parsley/garlic is also a nice option. For a dessert, you can’t go wrong with some simple peanut butter cookies.
Cobb salad is an all-year dish staple. If you’re looking forward to tasting this salad when it’s made by expert chef hands, don’t hesitate to pay us a visit at our Glass and Vine restaurant. We’re located in Coconut Grove just by the bay, making the whole dining experience more relaxing and enjoyable. After all, it’s our goal to provide great pleasure to our guests, both with our delectable menu and charming garden environment.
